Blame it on living in Santa Monica, where a quick search for yoga studios reveals 20 within a three block radius, but I have a serious case of athletic ADD. It also doesn't hurt that I work at Lululemon, where workout culture is work culture, and SoulCycle followed by power yoga are all in a standard day's activities. As for me, likely the only person at the store who's not competing for the Olympics and/or training for a marathon, my motivation stems from: 1. Pinkberry's right across from us on the Promenade, and 2. it's a lot easier to get your ass to the gym when you're already dressed in head-to-toe workout gear.

I just wrote about my love/hate (and ultimately hate) affair with yoga, so you can head elsewhere to find the best Power/Ashtanga/Iyengar/Vinyasa flow. Fun fact: I once fell asleep during a (private!) Iyengar session, so have fun with that.

Anyways, I'm mostly a spinning and barre girl, and within those two categories, there's already plenty of room for experimentation. I'm loyal to the Bar Method, but I'll list out the pros and cons of some of my favorite cycling studios.

I'll start with the Chanel of spin studios, Soulcycle. And by Chanel I mean that people are willing to shell out big bucks for it, but it's not necessarily the best. Things I love about Soul: the cute apparel, the friendly front desk, the fact that there's 800 Degrees Pizza next door (oops). Things I hate: they don't turn on the AC (this isn't hot yoga), you feel like you're packed in like sardines, and it's so mainstream even the basic bitch in me rebels (Coachella-themed ride, anyone?).

Kinetic is kind of like Gap: this older standby has all the basics, serving up a decent workout without the frills. If you want a snazzy studio with state-of-the-art amenities, you'll be disappointed to discover that there's one exterior bathroom, no shower, and towels akin to sandpaper. The instructors are just OK, but the screen at the front of the room and heavy mix of rap/EDM can easily make up for the lack of motivation. Other pluses include bikes with precise resistance numbers and a cheaper price per ride.

I always walk out of Vie2 feeling like I've been hit by a truck. I'm pretty competitive when it comes to spinning, and the Leaderboard has pushed me to burn upwards of 700 calories per session. It's a testament to Trice (my favorite instructor) that I'll roll out of bed to bike at 7AM on a Saturday, and the massive endorphin rush dispels even the nastiest hangover. Major keys include a super friendly staff, as well as free espresso, fortune cookies, and other snackage in the studio. One caveat: stick to ImmersionCycle or BeatCycle (no LeaderBoard). I once wandered into an InnerCycle class, where we spun to the same country song for 10 minutes and weren't allowed to let our RPM or resistance above a certain level. Again, this isn't yoga.

If there's a brand of spin that's most similar to Soul, it's CycleHouse. Positioned right across from the ocean, this pristine space is equal parts spa and fitness studio, serving up Vogue and cold-pressed juice in the reception area. The vibe inside is also similar to its primary competitor, with mirrored walls, dimmed lights, a Top40 playlist, and a weight-work routine, but the temperature is at least ten degrees lower and the room is far more spacious. My only gripe is that the instructor told me to "slow down" on the higher resistance, and while those less accustomed to spinning might find the slower movements a good thigh workout, it's not a major calorie-torcher if you're used to, well, being #1 at Vie2.

What's your favorite studio?